Rain spoils second ODI
Bangladesh's second ODI against Sri Lanka at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium was abandoned due to incessant rain yesterday after the home side racked up 311 in 49.5 overs, riding on Kusal Mendis's maiden ODI hundred. With Bangladesh 1-0 up in the three-ODI series after Saturday's 90-run win, the series will be decided in the third ODI to be played at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo on April 1.
A Taskin Ahmed hattrick, the fifth by a Bangladesh bowler in ODIs, late in the piece was the highlight from Bangladesh's perspective after the hosts won the toss for the second game in a row and changed tack by choosing to bat first on a flat pitch.
Bangladesh had allowed only 71 runs off the last nine overs as Taskin ran up to bowl the last over and Asela Gunaratne slapped a leg stump full toss to the third man fence off the second ball. But off the next he was caught by Soumya Sarkar at mid on, before Mustafizur Rahman caught Suranga Lakmal inside the circle at midwicket off a full toss in the next ball. On a hattrick, Taskin did what was the appropriate thing, fire in a full and fast delivery on the stumps, and Nuwan Pradeep missed it to give Taskin a hattrick and figures of four for 47 in 8.5 overs.
Earlier, Danushka Gunathilaka came out all guns blazing and after four leg byes off the third ball of the match, he hit Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Bin Mortaza for a cut boundary in the opening over. In Mashrafe's next over Gunathilaka continued the attack, miscuing a loft over cover that landed safely, before smashing the next ball for a four behind the bowler. The wily Mashrafe, realising the trigger-happy nature of his opponent, slipped in a slower bouncer that the left-hander top-edged off a hook, and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim took a fine running catch just beyond the 30-yard circle behind where short fine leg would have been.
Upul Tharanga and Mendis then set about taking singles as they got a feel for opening bowlers Mashrafe and off-spinner Mehedi Hasan Miraz. By the eighth over, Tharanga had decided that the pitch had no demons whatsoever when he hit Miraz for two boundaries. In the 12th over of the innings, Bangladesh missed a chance off Mendis when the batsman was on seven, as an edge off Mustafizur went between Mushfiqur and wide first slip Mahmudullah Riyad, with neither moving.
The partnership reached 111 when Tharanga, batting beautifully, fell to a freak run out. Having already hit two boundaries off Mustafizur -- who was having a bad day at the office, bowling on both sides of the wicket -- he missed a beamer that was called a no-ball but then went for a run, and was callous in placing his bat as the throw from Mahmudullah at short fine leg, where the ball had gone after Mushfiqur failed to gather cleanly, hit the stumps.
But Sri Lanka carried on unfettered. The free hit resulting from the beamer was deposited over long-on for six. Mendis dominated an 83-run stand in just 12.1 overs with Dinesh Chandimal. Bangladesh's spinners were guilty of bowling on middle and leg, and Mendis took full advantage, scoring 74 of his 102 runs on the leg side. Chandimal fell for 24 in the 37th over when he was adjudged leg-before trying to hoick Mustafizur to the leg side, a decision he could not overturn upon review.
That was the beginning of Bangladesh's comeback in the match. 212 for three became 216 for four when the big fish, Mendis, was caught and bowled by Taskin in another freak dismissal. A hammered straight drive in the 38th over hit Taskin flush on the right shoulder and ricocheted high enough for Taskin to take a running catch just behind the stumps at the non-striker's end.
Although the bowling was not of the highest quality, Bangladesh's fielding was up to scratch, especially from keeper Mushfiqur Rahim, who affected two run-outs from behind the stumps, sending back Thisara Perera and Dilruwan Perera in the 47th and 49th overs respectively with direct hits from behind the stumps after the batsmen decided to run off misses.
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